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Positive Role Modeling

As the officer of an organization you are seen not only a s a leader but as a role model. Students will be looking to you for cues regarding what is acceptable behavior. They’ll be watching your actions and how you interact with others. So, here are some things to consider as you put your best foot forward:

Attitude. Are you approachable? Do you have a positive attitude toward your school, organization, and position?

Sense of Humor. Are your messages delivered in a proper tone, and with appropriate, not derogatory humor? Do any jokes poke fun at an ethnicity, group, or gender?

Confident Decision-Making. Do you make decisions with ease? What is your process? Do you come across as confident or do you tend to second-guess yourself?

Questionable Behaviors. When you engage in questionable behavior, you not only impact your own reputation but that of your organization in general. Before you do something, do you think about the consequences?

Loyalty. Do you ever sell out your advisor or a fellow Executive Board member in order to make yourself look good? Sometimes this can be subtle (“John was busy so I pretty much planned the whole program myself”) yet it can still come across as disloyal and self-serving.

Respect. Do you make it a practice to treat others respectfully? Having respect for someone does not mean you have to agree with him or her on every issue, but it does mean being open to an opposing opinion or belief.

Communication Style. Do you go directly to the source when you have a problem or do you talk around it, with people who shouldn’t necessarily be involved? Is talking about people a form of small talk that you engage in?